Turkish journalist Yılmaz Özdil has criticised attempts to create tensions between Türkiye and Azerbaijan over the Palestinian issue, arguing that foreign policy should be guided by national interests rather than religious considerations. Speaking in a video published on YouTube, Özdil pointed to the contrasting regional partnerships of Iran and Israel, noting that Tehran maintains close relations with Armenia while Israel has developed a strategic partnership with Azerbaijan. According to the journalist, these relationships demonstrate that national interests and strategic considerations, rather than religious affiliations, determine the foreign policies of individual states.
Özdil criticised certain political and public circles in Türkiye for focusing on Azerbaijan's relations with Israel and attempting to influence Baku's domestic and foreign policy decisions. "It is not the right approach for Türkiye to experience friction in its relations with Azerbaijan over the issue of Palestine. On October 29, on Türkiye's Republic Day, the President of Palestine visited the Greek Cypriot side, the Republic of Cyprus.
Yet, for the sake of these Palestinians, we risk straining our ties with Azerbaijan. Israel was one of the first states to recognize Azerbaijan after it declared independence in 1991, whereas Palestine has, for many years, supported Armenia’s position. Azerbaijan has not forgotten Palestine’s stance regarding Armenia," he stated.
The journalist also recalled Türkiye's previous concerns regarding Palestinian relations with the PKK and the Armenian militant organisation ASALA, arguing that Ankara had subsequently set aside those disagreements. Turning to Azerbaijan's military cooperation with Israel, Özdil emphasised that the relationship had developed over many years and had played a role in strengthening Azerbaijan's defence capabilities. "Azerbaijan acquired a significant portion of the weapons it used during the Second Karabakh War from Israel.
While Türkiye frequently highlights its own provision of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Azerbaijan, it should be noted that Azerbaijan has been collaborating with Israel on the joint production of UAVs since 2009," he said. Özdil also addressed the historical foundations of Azerbaijan–Türkiye relations, referring to Azerbaijan's decision to commemorate Victory Day on November 8 rather than November 10, the date on which the trilateral statement ending the 2020 war was signed. He described the choice of November 8 as a gesture of respect for Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Türkiye, whose death is commemorated annually on November 10.
"This decision demonstrates the depth of the fraternal ties between the two nations. During Türkiye’s War of Independence in 1919–1920, the Azerbaijani people not only provided material aid to Türkiye but also participated in the national resistance movement, sacrificing their own lives. All of this shows that the Azerbaijan-Türkiye brotherhood is rooted in a strong historical foundation," Özdil emphasised.
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